It is exciting to win a second place award with so many wonderful photographs in this months competition. This photo did not really take me long to modify in photoshop, but it sure turned out nice. Thanks everyone for your kind comments. They really do motivate me.

Don, it was a real pleasure meeting you by chance at the cathedral today---I said your name sounded familiar (apart from Miami Vice!) and this was why---I saw this lion pop up on the home page many times during February! Congratulations!

Thank you Erica. I, too, really like this photo. I think it is one of my best.

To love this comment, log in above 7/25/2006 12:14:34 PM

Lori Carlson

Your vision with this is just amazing Don! Love the movement you created here! Great subject! Ya gots ta love God's "big cats"! :0) Big congrats on all the deserved recognition this has received!! Your gallery rocks! What talent! :0)

...I should have added here, that I saw this in the Nature's Best Photography magazine at Barnes & Noble, out right now, along with your yawning lion right on the cover! Congratulations again, on your accomplishments!

Thank you Steven. Those are very kind words. I sincerely appreciate them.

To love this comment, log in above 7/19/2007 5:36:28 AM

Joseph N. DiGilio

I just gotta tell ya Don, when I saw this image for the first time I said to myself, this nut was on one of those African Photo Safaris shooting from the back of an open pick up truck like those brothers you see on the National Geographic Chanel. I hope he had a change of shorts with him. What a shot!What are the chances of seeing, let alone getting a picture of, action like this at a zoo? I hope you have a big one of these displayed at home.

This image was actually published in Nature's Best magaine. It was also displayed (about 3'x 5') in the Smithsonian for almost a year. But it is a digitally enhanced image of a lion yawning -- I added the motion blur in the background to make it interesting.

Don J.

To love this comment, log in above 11/27/2007 11:31:44 AM

Joseph N. DiGilio

Oh.I'm speachless.Did you say, yawning? You sure did a great job making a picture of a yawning lion look like WILD KINGDOM, Don. I like the story my eyes dictated to my vivid immagination much better. In it you and your guide, Nimrod, barely escape with your lives when your electronic flash frightens the beast away. Then you change your shorts. LOLAll kidding aside, this is OUTSTANDING work.

Unfortunately, they did not let me keep the enlargements displayed at the Smithsonian. They said they may be interested in using them for future traveling exhibits around the country. I hope so, but only time will tell.

To love this comment, log in above 11/28/2007 5:34:34 AM

Joseph N. DiGilio

I was waiting to hear the answer you gave Christopher. Too bad, that would have been special. You must have had someone take a picture of you standing beside it at the Smithsonian, right?